hasta luego.

Tengo que irme.

There were times during this year when I would have given anything to get on a plane fly back to the U.S. get some yogurtland and give my mom a hug. I'm not gonna lie. But now that it is time to leave I can't believe it! The moment you are finally adjusted and want to stay, it's time to go. Así es la vida. Just as going abroad has been filled with up and downs there are plenty of things I will miss as well as not miss about Spain. Here's some of them (in no particular order.)

Things I will NOT miss about Madrid

Ham being the food of choice

Ham being used as decoration

Guys who think yelling “guappppaaa” at you is a good pick up method

Eating dinner at 10 p.m.

Stores being closed from 2-4 and Sundays

Everyone and their mom smoking 25 hours a day

Disorganized university system

People looking at me weird when I order under the name “Alyssa”

The exchange rate

Lack of ingredients in grocery store

Not being socially allowed to wear sweats

Having to sit behind people with gross dreads in class

Being late all the time being acceptable

Things I WILL miss about Madrid

Tapas

Ham being used as decoration (it’s kinda funny)

Being able to get VIP at Joy

The metro

Cobblestone streets

Cool buildings

Meeting people from all over the world

Being ridiculously cool because I am from California

Speaking Spanish

Palazzo gelato

My roommates and friends

The fruteria across the street

Traveling

Being able to go places like the Prado

Euros (they are way cooler looking that U.S. money)

Seeing people with gross dreads and other ridiculous hairstyles like mullets all over the streets (it's entertaining from a distance)

The Rastro on Sundays

Culture of everyone saying "hola" y "hasta luego" in elevators, shops, hallways etc.

During the last ten months I have done more than improve my Spanish and get an incredible introduction to seeing the world. After some adjustment, Madrid became my home not just my abroad location and I learned more than I can list here... but here are the highlights:

What I am most proud of: Becoming comfortable going about my daily life being a foreigner. Even before you open your mouth, somehow they can just always tell you aren't Spanish. Learning how to eventually not be phased by being perpetually out of my comfort zone I think has given me more confidence in general.

The hardest lesson I had to learn (aside from the vosotros form): Accepting that I just wasn't going to be the same person in Spanish as I am in English. Not being 100 percent fluent, in combination with the difference in humor from culture to culture, Alyssa in Spanish wasn't exactly Alyssa.

The most important thing I learned: How many different kinds of people there really are in the world. This year I met people from all over. I was confronted with a variety of perspectives about my own country (some bad, some good) but all made me think more about things in general.

This has definitely been the most unique and adrenaline filled year of my life and I am so, so lucky that my parents gave me this opportunity. It is impossible to describe the impact this experience here has had on me but I can say this:

The phrase that will remain in my mind as I leave Spain is: ¡PONTE LAS PILAS! Technical translation: put in your batteries, but basically it means "hop to it". Here I realized, more than anything, that the world is at the same time so big and so small and all you can do with that paradox is explore...so hop to it!

¡Hasta luego, Madrid! Ha sido genial.